Internal-combustion engine



L. M. WOOLSON INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Feu s, i927. @16,940

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1,616 94o. Feb 8 1927 l.. M. wooLsoN 9 INTERNAL coMBUsTloN ENGINEA Filed Jan. 26., 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEicE.

LIONEL 'M WOOLSON, 0F DETROIT. MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO PACKARD `MOTOR CAR COMPANY, OF DETRO.' MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINE.

` Application led January 26, 1924. Serial No. 688,658.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines',l inoreparticularly to thevalve mechanism thereof, and,l it has for an object to provide im 'roved apparatus whereby the valves of large internal combustion engines may be cooled by Athe circulation therethrough of an appropriate Huid medium.

The. invention is particularly applicable to high speed, heavy duty yenginesfsuch as are used in the propulsion of aircraft. It has been illustrated with reference to an engine of the dual valve type, in which each l.. p

n"sages 14, for the intake of fuel to andthe cylinder is provided with exhaust and intake .valves arranged in pairs, the valves of each pairV being adapted for voperation in unison, but it is to beunderstood that the invention is not so limited but-is capableof application to engines of other'types,'having different valvefarrangements.'

It is not uncommon for the exhaust valves of large aircraft engines to roperate at temperatures approaching white heat, and serious' troubles inl operation, such aspreignition, and cracking, warping and burning of the vvalves frequently result from this cause.A It has been heretofore suggested that such difliculties mightbe obviated by providing these engines with hollow valves and stems, and maintaining therethrough a circulation of suitable cooling fluid, such as oil. It is oneof the objects of this inven-l tion to rovide means forinsuring a direct and positive flow vof cooling fluid through each of the engine valves of such an engine during a portion ofthe valve cycle.

Another object is to provide simplel and' efficient means, directly associated with the I, valve operating mechanismvfor positively forcing a quantity ofv cooling oil through each valve on every strokethereof. f

Another object is to provide positive valvel means, operable in connection with the valve o erating mechanism, to prevent a back flow oi the cooling Huid.

Other objects of the inventiouwill appear from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the drawings.,l which -form a part of this specification, andin which:

'Fig 1 is a transverys'evvertical Section5 througha part of an internal combustion engine, illustratingftheI application of this invention thereto;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinali-vertical section substantially on the line 2;'-2fof-'Fig. y1, thev Tito control the flow valve actuating/mechanism'being illustrated in a different position;

-Fig`. 3 is a horizontal section substantially on the line 3 3 of Figs. 1 and 2, and

Fig. '4: is a vertical section substantially on ltheline 4--4 of Fig. 2.

-Referring to the drawing, at 10 is illus-- trated a portion of an internal combustion engine having a cylinder 11 and rovided with ahead casting 12. The hea castin 12 contains ports 13, located over each o the cylinders 11, and connecting with pas-A exhaust 'of burned gases from they cylinders.' Each of the ports 13 defines a valve seat 16, adapted to cooperate with a oppet valve 417 in't e usual manner.. The headvcasting .12'also contains suitable cooling passages 18,

through which water from the engine cool-v ing system is'circulated in the 'well known manner, 4and is' preferably provided with a suitable dust and oil` tight cover 15. The

casting 12 and its associated parts, is

mounted in the ordinary w'ay on the engine block which contains the cylinders 11, and

ner, as by stud bolts 19.

4is secured thereto in any appropriate man- The valves 17`may be of any well known 'the head kcasting 12 in any w'ellknown manner, as by being pressed into holes-drilled in the bosses 24, and are arranged in alineinent withv the ports 13, so that the valves of gases through said ports 13... Secured to'- each of the valve stems 22 at its upper end is a collar 26, having a horizontally disposed iiange forming an abutmenton which the valve return means exerts itspressure to seat the valve. -As

shown, this valve return means comprisesa s plurality .of .compression springs 27,. ar. ranged'about each ofthe valve stems 22, and

bearing at their upper lends .on the abut- -Q17may cooperate with the valve seats 16,`

ments 26 and at their lower ends on an abut ment 28. vThe abutment 28 is an annular member mounted on the head casting 12 to' 'surround each of the valve Guides 23. This annulus carries a number o? guide pins 29,

- one within each of the springs 27, by means of which lateral flexure'` thereof "is prevented. The abutment 26 has also a downturned peripheral flange, and is. provided' with holes 31 for the ypassage of ,fthe'upper4 ends of theI pins 29. This valve return means urges the -valve stem 22 and the valve -17 upwardly against the valve scat 16. in a manner well known in the present art.`

The valves 17 of each pair are connected by a yoke member 33, mounted to. extend between the extremities of the valve stems 22. The yoke member 33 is provided at its' tappet clearance may be effected in an' obvious manner, and they are retained in the yoke members by nuts 40. Each yoke member 33 is also formed with an integral, down-f wardly disposed guide member 41 Aat its cen-' ter, this Aguide member 41 forming' aplunger adapted to reciprocate in 'a cylinder 42 which has a closed lower end.

The cylinder 42 is supported in an open-f ing 43 provided Ain'a lug 44 of a bracket 46,

which bracket is secured to the head-12 as by lbolts 47. The cylinder 42 may be secured in the opening 43 in any convenient' manner,

as by being pressed therein,

The -bracket 46 is adapted tovsupport a camshaft 48l by means ofwhich `the vyoke members 33 .are actuated. -For this purpose the bracket is adapted to carry bearings 49 in which the cam shaft 48 is journaled, there being a bearing and a supporting bracket therefor intermediate the valves of each cylinder. The bearings 49 `are 'preferably formed in two arts and are securedlin. the

' bracket ina wel known manner as by meansv shown) of the removable cap 5l, as clearly shown .in Fig. 4.

-The cam shaft 48 is formed with suitable cams 52, each adapted to'engage and :operate oneiof the yoke members 3 3, The lCum shaft` is driven from'the engine rin' any," appropri ate manner, tas by .means of gearingv (notv It is hollow andis connected to, v some suitable source of cooling. uidfunderf pressure suchas a pump (not sl1ov'vn)1'. vl This A.

cooling fluid is preferably lubricating" oil, such as is used for the"lubricationxofathe engine, but it is to be understoodthatother cooling fluids, such as water, .forexample,

may be used. Between 'eachpair ofvalves y y l lpassages .68 of, the .yokememberl 33 will may be located a suitable support, such las the post 56 mounted on the stud`57 1n. the

head 12, adapted to suppsrn't'v a about the plunger 41. The operation of the engine valves from the engine will be obvious. As the'cam shaft 48 is rotated in timed. relationto thev engine .the cams A.52. successively engage the various yoke members 33 and depress them, thus vopening the valves 17 by means-oi the conta'ct of the tappet's 36 with .the stnis.22,'

against'the pressure of the springs 27.A As

the operation of engine valves in this manner is well known in the art to whichl this invention relates, further description ofthis oper .ation is believed to be unnecessary.

qThe hollow cam' shaft 48 is prov-idedat each of its bearings with suitable metering ports 61, each of which communicates with the interior of they shaft. These meteringy ports 61 areradapted to re Gister during a' portion of'each revolution o? the shaftpwithv" a metering slot 62, formedyin the lower 'halt'- of the bearing v49. This metering slot` l62 communicates, by means of a passage 63 :formed in the bracket 46, with a horizontal .passage 64 inthe lower part thereof, andv1 which may-be conveniently formed. as avsiot'k cut in its lbase. The passage 64 extends. dlagonally acro:s the base of the bracket 46 and communicates with 'the interior of thel cylinder 42 through a port *66. It. will be `vevident that whenthe port 61 registers with` thev slot *'62, iiuid under pressure jfromlthe'fl interior of the hollow cam shaft `is mitted by wa y of passages-63 andj`64',""anl plunger 41 therein.

port'66, to t ev .cylinder 42 beneath 'thef 105.

sage`.67 which. vcommunicates with horizontal vbranch passages 68 formed in'. the. yoke member 43;.,l .The vbranch passages k68 in turn communicate with slort downwardly diss.

posed passages69 formed in the vtappet mem# bers 36.

Each of thevalves 17 has a'eeditalbeul disposed in its-hollow stem 22,.-fwhich-fed tube' extends substantially the length4 ofthe stem into Ythe f interior ,of the s hollow'fvalve head 21, Theupper end-of thetube ,fleomf municates directly witha. passage v.72:.inathe 'lend of thevalveistem,fwhich terminatesjin y `arial'alineinentwith the passage-69`ibf the tappet 36,3and this end of the tube-i7 rigidly mounted. in -gthe stem 22, as by hay.

tracted portionl, j73jlothe-stem 22, radial ducts 7 4v are'provided, communicating with king ja@pres'seditflwitlr a contrated' p0rtion-3-4 i of the bore ofthe stems. Below the conanannular yspace' 75":within the-stem and :around the .eedf tube therein. 'Itl is,v hence AObi'iousthat eenlingy `duid-@from the branch to the interior of the hollow valve head 21,

lwhere they absorb heat from this valve head and then pass upwardly through the annular space and escape, by means of the ducts 74, into the space beneath the cover 15.

rlhe operation of the oil pumping means will be readily understood. The metering slot 62 is formed of such a length and positioned in such a phase relation to the metering port 61 as to admit fluid under pressure fromthe interior of the hollow cam .shaft 48 to the vcylinder 42 beneath the plunger 41 through the connecting passages described, during that' portion ofthe valve cycle in which the plunger 41 is moving upwardly, or is stationary. rlfhat is, fluid is admitted to the cylinder 42 during the period in which the valve 17 is closing and is closed. Upon downward movement of the plunger 41, the port 6l passes out of registry with the slot 62, cutting olf the supply of oilto the cylinder'42 and actingas a valve to prevent back ow of the oil. On the down stroke of lthe plunger, which corresponds with the o ening'of` the .valve '17, the oil within the cy inder 42 is placed under pressure, which forces it to flow through the passages 67, 68 and 69 to the passage i2 of the valve'stem, since no other path is available. From this point it passes downwardly through the feed tube 71 and upwardly through the annular space between the feed tube and the stem 22 in the manner already indicated.:

It will be evident that by this invention a simple, direct and positive c-irculation of the cooling fluid through the engine valves is secured, and that this circulationis effected at the very period in the valve cycle when the valve is-exposedvto thev greatest l heat, that is', when the valve is open.

It will also be seen that all pumping losses caused by regurgitation in the valve cooling system are prevented in an ellicient and lsimple manner by the use of the metering apertures as a non-return valve.

Furthermore,.a simple and eflicient means of conducting the cooling fluid from the stationary walls of supply to the rapidly moving valve is secured, and allinterruption to vflow ot the fluid, and other evils thatk will I be -caused by a turning of the actuating yoke on its vertical axis are obviated.

. It`will be understood that various forms of the invention other than those described above may be used without departing from bustion engine having hollow valves, of

member connecting the stems of said valves to operate in unison, and pump means connected to the yoke member and operated thereby to force cooling fluid through the valves.,

"5. In a device for cooling the valves of internal combustion engines, a member adapted to actuate said valves, a plunger integral with the member, a cylindricalsguide for the plunger, and means for conducting cooling fluid from the plunger to said valves.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with valves having hollow stems, of a tube in each ofsaid stems, means connecting said -stems in pairs, a plunger' on the connecting means, a cylinder adapted to receive the plunger, and means to reciprocate the said connecting means to'y operate the valves, whereby cooling oil is pumped by the plunger through said tubes.

7. In an internal combustion` engine, hollow valves having hollow stems, a feed tube in each of the stems, actuating members for the valves havingconduits communicating with the tubes, and pump means associated with the actuating members and operated thereby to circulate cooling fluid through said valves.

8. In an internal combustion engine, hollow valves having hollow stems, a tube'in each of the stems, actuating members for the valves having conduits communicating with the tubes, and pump means .integral with each actuating member and connected to the conduits to circulate cooling fluid through said valve.

.9. In an. internal combustion engine, pairs" of hollow valves having hollow stems, an actuating yoke member for each pair of valves having conduits communicating with the stems, a hollow pump plunger integral with the yoke and communicating with the conduits, a cylinder in which theplunger is lreciprocated by a yoke' member. and means for admitting cooling fluid to the cylinder beneath the plunger during a portion of the valve cycle.

10. In an internal combustion engine hav-` ing hollow valves, actuating means therefor having conduits connected to the valves and pump means adapted to circulate cooling fluid through the conduits to the valves, said pump means including a hollow plun er integral with the'actuating means, a cylin er for the plunger, and means for supplying a. measured quantity of cooling fluid to the cylinder' during the outstroke of the plunger.

11. In an internal combustion engine having a head, pairs of valves having parallel -stems in the head, an actuating member associated with the stems of each pair of valves and guide means in the head between adjacent actuating members.

1:2. In an internalcombustion engine, pairs ol' valves having parallel stems, a yoke memher having adjacent tappets arranged between each pair of valves to actuatc the stems, and means between adjacent yoke members to prevent rota-tion thereof.

13. In an internal combustion engine, pairs ot valves having parallel stems, a yoke member having adJacent tappets arranged between each pair of valves to actuate the stems, und guide means between the adjacent yoke members to prevent rotation thereof.

14:. In an internal combustionengine having hollow valves, actuating means for the valves including a' hollow cam shaft adapted to contain cooling fluid under pressure and fil) having metering ports, pumping means associated with the actuating means to circulate cooling fluid through the hollow valves, and means connecting the interior of the cam shaft to the pumping means during each revolution of said cam shaft.

l5. In an internal combustion engine having hollow valves,actuating means for the valves includin a hollow cam shaft adapted to contain coohng fluid under preure and having metering ports, pumping means associated with the actuating means to circulate cooling fluid throughthe hollow valves,

bearings lor the cam shaft having metering slots connected to the pumping means and adapted to register with the metering ports during a portion of each revolution. of the cam shaft. v

16. In an internal combustion engine having hollow valves arranged 1n pairs, a yoke mismo ing hollow valves arranged in pairs, a yoke member connecting the. stems of the valves of each pair and having guide means including a cylinder and a plunger therein, a hollow cam shaft having cams adapted to actuate the yoke members and connected to a source of cooling fluid under pressure, hearings for the cam shaft, and means including ports in the cam shaft and communicating slots in the bearings adapted to deliver a measured charge of cooling fluid to v the cylinder when the plunger-therein is on itsoutstroke, said means acting as a valve to prevent a return flow of the fluid on the return stroke of the plunger.

18. ln an internal combustion engine having hollow valves arranged in pairs, a yoke member connecting thel stems of the valves of each pair and havine` guide means includl ing a cylinder and a p unger therein,'a conduit ineach plunger communicatin withl the hollow valves, a hollow cam sha t having cams adapted to actuate the yoke members and connected to a source of cooling lluid under pressure, bearings for the cam shaft, and means connecting the cylinder to the cam shaft during a` portion of each revolution thereof, said means being adapted to prevent a return flow of the fluid on the return stroke of the plunger. g

ln testimony whereof I alix my signature.

LIONEL M. WVOOLSON. 

